The Company

 

A&B Wood Finishes is a young company specializing in wood finishing.

Started in January 2011, it has skillfully entered into the highly competitive field of furnishings to the point that, today, it is proud to be working with internationally renowned companies and brands. While aimed at innovation, A&B Wood Finishes does not forego tradition: amazing workmanship, handed down through the centuries, that complement and intertwine with the most innovative finishes.

 

 

A&B Wood Finishes is the manifestation of the personal essence and experience of Alessio Bernardini, owner and master craftsman. A young businessman, Mr. Bernardini grew professionally in a long-standing and well-known company in the furnishings sector while developing a passion for preserving tradition and building quality. But he  boldly ventures into the contemporary world of finishing, bringing a sort of irreverence that is capable of embracing the most daring innovations.

POLISHING

45%

LACQUERING

65%

SHELLAC POLISHING

75%

MARQUETERIE DE PAILLE (STRAW MARQUETRY)

63%

PARCHMENT

53%

Finishes

In addition to the standard finishing processes, like lacquering and polishing, A&B Wood Finishes can perform specialized processes, such as: shellacking and Chinese lacquering, Marqueterie de Paille (straw marquetry), parchment, special effects and decorations.

 Shellac Polishing

 

Shellac, about whose origins and history there is much confusion, is obtained by processing the organic resin secreted by a small insect that uses this substance as a shield to protect the cocoons for its larvae.

Although shellac was used as a wood varnish already in the 1600s by Indian craftsmen, large scale use came about only in the 1800s, slowly but steadily replacing, almost completely, other methods. Without a doubt, at least until the 1920s, shellac was the most widely used finish for wood until it was replaced by nitrocellulose lacquer.

Today this technique, although much appreciated for its ability to give a unique visual and tactile effect to wood, is not widely used. In fact, it requires rather long processing times, but the result is always very satisfactory.

Marqueterie de Paille

 

“Marqueterie de paille” is a French technique of the seventeenth century. It is used for wall decorations and for the finishing of objects and accessories.

This technique is used to create unique pieces, producing a wonderful play of light. It is very rare, and in Italy it is practically non-existent. The fact is, to achieve good results, Marqueterie de Paille needs patience and dedication. The working process is very laborious: it consists in opening rye straw, stretching and applying it, stem by stem, until the desired decoration is obtained.

Although natural straw, of course, has only a characteristic straw color, it is possible to dye it with vegetable oils to obtain a wide variety of bright and vivid colors that give gloss to the product.

Parchment

 

Parchment is a material made from processed animal skin. Most commonly made of calfskin, sheepskin, or goatskin, it is limed, scraped and finally allowed to dry under tension.

In the Middle Ages, parchment was used for the production of books and formal documents, and was decorated with silver and gold inks.

The first “evolution” of this original use of parchment came about in 1925 with the “Art Deco” design movement. Along with other new materials (such as aluminum, stainless steel, buffer lacquer, inlaid wood, shark and zebra skins), it was used on furniture and colored with geometric, zigzag, checkerboard, “V” or solar ray patterns.

Parchment lends itself well to different colors (antique, natural, ivory, white), and can even be custom colored on request.

Special Processes

 

Also available are special finishes such as bas-relief with stucco, brushed, coated, iron effect, rusty iron effect, ceramics effect, tortoise shell effect, iridescent effect, iridescent, pearl effect, gold leaf, silver, bronze, metallic effect, rubber effect, velvet effect.

Each of the described processes can be employed on custom designs, allowing A&B Wood Finishes S.a.S. to help create unique pieces.